Future of Coal County Scholarship Program Uncertain

A bill to create a scholarship fund to help students from coal mining counties in Kentucky finish their education is once again in limbo.

House Bill 260 would create a fund to give scholarships to college juniors and seniors who finish their degrees at schools in coal-producing counties.

The program was originally meant only for students from eastern Kentucky, but it was expanded to apply to students from all 38 mining counties in the state.

The updated bill didn’t pass before lawmakers adjourned for a veto recess last week, leaving only one day for both chambers to approve the measure. House Speaker Greg Stumbo says he’s not sure why the Senate didn’t vote on the bill.

“Well some of us would like to see House Bill 260 come on down, you know as far as I know that one is an agreed to bill. I don’t know if they’re holding it because they think they can use it for leverage for something up here,” he says.

Senator Robert Stivers says his chamber didn’t intentionally ignore the bill. It simply got lost in the last-minute shuffle to pass a budget last week.

“When we return on the 12th, we will take that up,” he says, referring to the final legislative day this year, when lawmakers meet to override gubernatorial vetoes.